MATTHEW CLARK WINS SUTHERLAND CHALICE FOR FIRST TIME

Left to right: Club captain Ian Beattie, Claire Thomson (daughter of Jack Sutherland who donated the trophy), Matthew Clark, Eamon Bradley and Scott Crichton.

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Colin@scottishgolfview.com

Kilmacolm's Matthew Clark won the Sutherland Chalice 72-hole SGU Order of Merit tournament at Dumfries and Galloway Golf Club this evening for the first time after quite a few attempts - but only after a dramatic finish.

Clark, three behind halfway leader Eamon Bradley (Mount Ellen) at the start of today's final two rounds,  had gone three shots clear of the field with a third-round 66.
But Bradley rallied to close the gap as Clark lost his momentum over the final round.

In fact, Bradley holed a long birdie putt at the 16th to take a one-shot lead. But, tragically, for the 20-year-old Southeastern Louisiana University student from Coatbridge, he drove out of bounds at the the 17th and 18th holes.

Clark, a banker when he is not winning amateur golf tournaments (which he does quite often!), finished with a three-over-par 73 - his worst of the four rounds - for a six-under-par winning total of 274.

Bradley closed with a 72 to finish two shots behind in second place on 276.

Scott Crichton (Aberdour), third last year, finished joint third on 277 with Daniel Young (Craigie Hill), winner of the Cameron Corbett Vase four-rounder at Haggs Castle the previous weekend.

Crichton will be rueing his start to the tournament - the first hole cost him an 8.
Young was going well until his final inward half although he did birdie the 18th to finish with a smile on his face.
James Ross (Royal Burgess), winner of the Sutherland Chalice last year, was unable to defend for the best of reasons. He was playing for Scotland in the European men's team championship in Denmark and helped the Scots get to the final where they lost narrowly to England.

FINAL TOTALS

Par 280 (4x70) CSS 71 72 71 72

274 Matthew Clark (Kilmacolm) 66 69 66 73

276 Eamon Bradley (Mount Ellen) 66 66 72 72

277 Scott Crichton (Aberdour) 69 68 71 69, Daniel Young (Craigie Hill) 67 71 68 71

278 Michael Daily (Erskine) 68 70 68 72.

279 James White (Lundin) 69 68 69 73.

280 Alexander Culverwell (Dnbar) 67 71 70 72, Allyn Dick (Kingsknowe) 72 66 71 71, Neil Henderson (Renaissance) 71 70 70 69

281 Craig Ross (Kirkhill) 66 70 72 73, Jamie Savage (Cawder) 69 72 70 70.

282 Gordon Stevenson (Whitecraigs) 71 69 69 73, Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon) 71 73 68 70.

283 Anthony Blaney (Liberton) 71 68 70 74, Ross Bell (Downfield) 69 71 73 70, Colin Baird (Bothwell Castle) 74 71 68 70, Fraser McKenna (Balmore) 70 71 74 68.

286 Scott Gibson (Southerness) 70 75 69 72, Michael Smyth (Royal Troon) 66 75 74 71, Chris Robb (Meldrum House) 75 71 72 68.

288 Malcolm Pennycott (Whiting Bay, Arran) 76 70 72 70.

289 Chris Corbett (Dumfries and Galloway) 71 72 74 72.

290 Conor O'Neil (Pollok) 70 72 71 77, Lewis Bain (Turnhouse) 72 70 75 73, Mark Owenson (Longniddry) 71 74 73 72.

291 James Hendrick (Pollok) 69 76 72 74, Kyle McClung (Wigtownshire Co) 69 77 73 72.

292 Alan Sutherland (Ladybank) 72 68 73 69, Jamie Lamb (Lanark) 70 71 73 78, Calum Cochrane (Dalmahoy) 67 76 71 78, Fraser Moore (Glenbervie) 70 72 75 75.

293 Tom Spencer (Meldrum House) 73 73 76 71, Stuart Haddow (Falkirk) 69 77 76 71.

294 Liam Johnston (Dumfries and Co) 73 71 74 76, Daniel Thompsett (Aboyne) 71 70 80 73.

296 Steven Stewart (Clydebank Overtain) 69 71 78 78, Liam Halliday (Cardross) 86 69 78 73, John Duff (Newmachar) 69 76 78 73.

298 Kenny MacAskill (Turnberry Staff) 72 73 77 76, David Wilson (Troon Welbeck) 70 76 77 75.

299 Angus Carrick (Douglas Park) 74 71 80 74.

No  Returns - Nick Macandrew (Royal Aberdeen) 77 66 73 NR; Scott Brown (Turnberry) 70 73 78 NR.

Withdrew: Colin Colraine (Balmore) 72 73 withdrew.

SCROLL DOWN TO SATURDAY'S NEWS ITEMS TO SEE THE SCORES OF THOSE WHO MISSED THE 36-HOLE CUT.

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